April 2018 News and Updates from Commissioner Higgins

This issue highlights some of the great work being done by
Hennepin County. Also, be sure to check out all of the upcoming events
this month, including the Minneapolis St. Paul Home Tour, the Bee Run, Poetry
Month, and many bunny-friendly Easter egg activities!

In addition, I invite you to think about subscribing to
other interesting topics offered by Hennepin County.

Best wishes,

Linda at NACo

Commissioners Greene, Goettel, Callison, Opat, McLaughlin and
I attended the National Association of Counties (NACo) legislative conference
in Washington, D.C. I presented at the conference about public-private
collaborations such as the Pathways program and the Hennepin County program to
rehab tax-forfeited properties. We went to the Hill to meet with Senators
Klobuchar and Smith and the two Members of Congress who represent Hennepin,
Keith Ellison and Eric Paulsen.

State of the County Address April 10

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners cordially invites
you to the 2018 State of the County Address presented by Jan Callison, Chair.

Minneapolis-Saint Paul Home Tours April 28-29

The annual Minneapolis-Saint Paul Home Tour highlights almost 50 homes for your viewing enjoyment. Kitchens, bathrooms, wooden floors - even decorating ideas - are shown off by their owners. And this year, two of the tax-forfeited properties that
have been rehabbed through our pilot project will be on the tour.

The tour is open Saturday, April 28 from 10 am to 5 pm
and Sunday, April 29 from 1 to 5 pm. The tour will be held regardless of
weather conditions. Pro tip: Wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off!

C Line Bus Rapid Transit and Penn Avenue improvements kick off with groundbreaking

Representatives from the Metropolitan Council, Metro
Transit, Hennepin County, Minneapolis and Brooklyn Center, Lucy Laney School
(above), along with KMOJ radio emcee Freddie Bell and prominent business
and community members grabbed shovels last Tuesday morning to break ground on
the region’s second rapid bus line (BRT), the C Line.

The C Line will substantially replace Route 19, running from
Brooklyn Center into Minneapolis, primarily on Penn Avenue and Olson Memorial
Highway. C Line service is scheduled to begin in 2019. Gov. Mark Dayton has
included $50 million in his bonding proposal for future rapid bus lines and Bus
Rapid Transit service, which operates on highways.

“The C Line will improve transportation choices, reduce
congestion and connect hundreds of thousands of people with jobs,” said Gov.
Dayton. “We must continue to develop a comprehensive transit system that will
allow the Twin Cities metropolitan area and state of Minnesota to grow and
compete. Projects like the C Line are essential to the long-term vitality of
our communities.”

C Line buses are expected to perform up to 25 percent faster
than today’s local service. Service will be sped up by allowing customers to
purchase fares before they board, spreading stops farther apart and using
roomier, 60-foot buses with front and rear entrances. In a first for the
region, most of the buses used on the C Line will be fully
electric, running on rechargeable batteries and producing no tailpipe
emissions.

Service along the line will also be made more efficient
through technology that lets buses request green lights and by placing new stations
on the far side of intersections, allowing buses to get through lights before
stopping. Trips will run every 10 minutes throughout the day, giving
customers confidence the next bus is never far away. The C Line will also
provide a safer, more comfortable waiting experience for riders. Well-lit
stations will have real-time signs, security cameras and heaters, among other
amenities.

The C Line is part of the Penn Avenue
Improvements Project partnership with Hennepin County and Minneapolis.
The partnership is meant to make meaningful infrastructure improvements and
enhance transportation and transit service and safety throughout Penn Avenue
and Olson Memorial Highway into downtown Minneapolis. It will include
reconstruction of portions of Penn Avenue, to coincide with C Line construction.

Your feedback is
needed regarding a new route for the existing Route 19 line that will
remain open once the C Line is in operation. The three options are online at metrotransit.org/route-19-service-planning.
You can provide feedback (by April 5) by calling 612-373-3333, or send an email.

New Hennepin Healthcare clinic opens

The new Hennepin Healthcare Clinic and Specialty Center has
opened just across 8th Street from Hennepin County Medical Center. Along with
the new building, a new website – hennepinhealthcare.org
– and an updated logo have been introduced.See
video and story on KSTP.

EMS Pathways Academy Student Internship Program

Applications for this class are due March 30

The EMS Pathways Academy Student Internship Program is
helping the Minneapolis Fire Department and Hennepin EMS workforce to better
reflect the community they serve. The first class of graduates included 91%
people of color and was more than 50% female.

Obtaining a Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification
opens the door to many career paths. This is a rapidly expanding field and as
more jobs for EMTs are created, it is necessary to fill these positions with
qualified candidates that reflect the multilingual and culturally diverse
communities we serve.

Graduates of this program have been successfully hired as
Minneapolis firefighters, dispatchers with Hennepin EMS and some are continuing
their training to become paramedics.

What: 13 week EMT
training and certification course. Who: Applicants must have a
high school diploma or GED, be authorized to work in the United States, and
will be required to pass a physical exam.When: Mondays, Wednesdays and
Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm. The next class will begin in June of 2018. Cost: There is no cost to
apply. Participants are paid $15 hourly.Applications for this class are due
March 30.

Property taxes due May 15

We offer three ways to pay your property taxes onlineProperty taxes are
due on May 15, 2018.

Make it easy on yourself and pay current or previous year
tax payments online! It’s much more convenient with our automated online
e-check, direct debit, credit or debit card services. We still offer
conventional payment methods, too. You can also subscribe
to receive property tax due date reminder emails.

We are hosting a series of open house meetings for
businesses that generate large quantities of food waste. Staff will gather
input from attendees, answer questions and share information about our grants
and other resources that are available now for businesses to start an organics
program.

‘1917–1919 The Americans in Tours’ on display in Hennepin Gallery April 3 through May 30

“1917-1919 The Americans in Tours” will be displayed in the
Hennepin County Government Center from April 3 through May 30. The exhibit,
featuring photos and documents from the First World War, was created by the
city of Tours, France, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World
War I and the Americans who were stationed there. Tours became the General
Headquarters during the war. The goal of the exhibit is to educate people about
the lives of the American soldiers while they were stationed in Tours.

Tours, France has been a Sister City to Minneapolis since
1991, and strong ties have formed between the two cities.

The Hennepin Gallery is free and open to the public Monday
through Friday, 7:30 am to 6 pm, at the Hennepin County Government Center,
A-level, 300 S. 6th St., Minneapolis.

Green Line Extension (Southwest LRT)

People who want to comment on the proposed
corridor protection wall and other design changes to the Green Line
Extension (Southwest LRT) can submit written remarks.

On another LRT note, developers are increasingly choosing to
invest along light rail transit, as witnessed by the $8.4 billion in reported new investments along existing and future LRT
lines in the Twin Cities metro region. That’s an increase of $1.6 billion
in just a year (see inset picture).

Learn more about the Green Line project’s joint Supplemental
Environmental Assessment/Amended Draft Section 4 (f) Evaluation and LRT
development in the latest edition of the Metropolitan Council’s Extending
Tracks.

Find a new rhyme and meter during National Poetry Month

This April during National Poetry Month, your library is a
center for inspiration and creation with poetry-themed book lists, online
resources and events.

Get car care information from hclib.org

ALLDATA automotive provides diagnostic and repair
information for more than 30,000 vehicles, 1982 and newer. Patrons can access
this valuable resource only at a library building, logging in with your library
card, using either a public computer or your own device.

Black poets in the stacks

Listen to
micro-poetry readings from local and distinct African-American poets throughout
the sections and stacks of Webber Park Library. Celebrate the ways that poetry
lives in all spaces and forms in Black American expression from jazz, “playing
the dozens,” hip-hop and culinary arts to activism and performance art.

Step to it with your community this May

Build healthy habits by tracking your activity through the
Step To It Challenge, a fun, free program that encourages people of all ages
and abilities to become more active.

Join the challenge this May on behalf of your community,
school, workplace or other group. The challenge is not just about walking;
convert a variety of activities into steps, including running, cycling,
dancing, manual wheelchair use and many others.

Win Twins tickets or
other prizes

Participate in the challenge for a chance to win Minnesota
Twins tickets or other prizes.

Get inspired, find more information and register for the
challenge by visiting steptoit.org
or calling 612-348-5618.

Guide to Additional Health Care Resources

The Minnesota Department of health has put together a guide
listing various programs or agencies that provide health care services or
information about services or insurance in specific situations. The guide is
divided into the following topics:

Contact the Minnesota Health Information Clearinghouse health.clearinghouse@state.mn.us.
Seniors may contact Senior Linkage at 1-800-333-2433, disabled or chronically
ill people may contact Disability Linkage 1-888-333-2466, and veterans and
their families may contact the Veterans’ Linkage Line at 1-888-546-5838.
Services listed in the guide have contacts specific to the services, but you
may always contact Hennepin County with questions 612-348-4111. Hennepin County
also provides information
and training classes for providers and people with disabilities.

Find your kid a summer activity program

Camps span a wide variety of activities and interests,
including, but not limited to, the arts, nature exploration, outdoor
recreation, sports, day camps and more.

Registration is in advance with waiver and assistance
availability. Programs are committed to accommodating campers with
disabilities.

Registration for Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s
(MPRB) youth summer camps is open now and filling quickly. See
the full list of MPRB youth summer camps, call Customer Service at
612-230-6400 or visit any MPRB recreation center.

St. Anthony,
Plymouth, and other locations Three Rivers Park District is offering camps
for children ages 4 to 14. Visit the Three
Rivers Park District web page or call 763-559-6700.

Help save our bees with a 5K and river cleanup

Join a fun, family-friendly event hosted by the Great River
Coalition in partnership with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and the
National Park Service. The Bee Run is a 5K fun run/walk held in the only
national park offering scenic views of the Mississippi River!

Bee-gin the Saturday, April 21 5K with Mayor Jacob Frey and
National Park Superintendent John Anfinson in Boom Island Park and follow a
course that traverses through one of the city's most historic and naturally
beautiful areas.

Following the 5K, take part in an organized river cleanup,
learn about efforts to protect pollinators, and enjoy plenty of live music,
entertainment, and Earth Day festivities.

Using native plants can help improve water quality and
provide a habitat for butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Participants may
receive recommendations and options for installing rain gardens, establishing
mowable, native alternatives to turf, and other practices.

Following the presentation, attendees may receive one-on-one
design assistance from Blue Thumb Landscape Designers, Hennepin County Master
Gardeners and Master Water Stewards to create plans for their yards. Workshops
attendees may also receive information about installation cost-share programs
and Blue Thumb resources to help complete applicable projects.

The workshop is free for Plymouth residents or $15 per
household. To register, call 651-699-2426 or visit metroblooms.org/workshops.

County program will help cities improve building energy efficiency

The board approved funding to develop a consistent building
energy benchmarking program for cities across the county and region. Energy
benchmarking helps building owners evaluate energy performance and identify
conservation opportunities.

Local governments across the country, including Minneapolis,
have passed policies that require building owners to track their energy use.
This new program will provide resources to cities interested in implementing
these types of ordinances. Owners with multiple buildings across the county
will have one reporting system and the same support to reach energy-saving
goals.

Hennepin County received a $50,000 grant from the McKnight
Foundation and approved a $105,000 agreement with a consultant to develop the
program.

Hennepin County reflects diversity of our community, a priority for the county

The Hennepin County workforce now is 62% women and 28%
employees of color.

As shown in the chart, these numbers are likely to increase
with pending retirements and normal turnover. Several programs at Hennepin
County such as the Pathways program seek to bring even more diverse people into
our workforce, and internal programs such as the Leadership Academy seek to provide
people with the skillset needed to promote.

Hennepin County is a great place to work and has competitive
benefits. Consider working for the county! Our website shows 27 positions
currently available at Hennepin County, including Civil Professional Engineer,
Correctional Officer, Custodian, Dentist and more! If you’re looking for a job
or know someone who is looking, please check out this resource. Click here to see the
list.

Autonomous shuttle demonstration to take place along Midtown Greenway

Hennepin County will test an electric-powered shuttle and
offer free public rides along a two- to three-block stretch of the Greenway
during Earth Day weekend, April 20 through 22. The shuttle, capable of
operating safely in mixed traffic with pedestrians and bicyclists, will travel for
limited hours during the demonstration on one lane of the existing bicycle and
pedestrian trail. A human operator will be on board the shuttle to take
over, if needed. The shuttle will travel no more than 12 miles per hour.

The county is interested in studying how this emerging
technology can complement other multimodal forms of transportation and enhance
connections to major transitways.

Become a Master Recycler/Composter

Join fellow waste reduction enthusiasts and become an
advocate for the three Rs in your community as a Hennepin County Master
Recycler/Composter. These trained volunteers plan and implement projects
that prevent waste, improve recycling and increase public awareness of
opportunities to recycle and compost.

The spring course will be held on Wednesday evenings from
6:30 to 9 pm from April 11 to May 16 at Elim Lutheran Church in Robbinsdale. An
optional field trip will be held on Friday, May 4.

Tree stewards needed

Learn the basics of tree care and help take care of the
urban forest by becoming a tree steward. Volunteer tree stewards take a one-day
class that covers the basics of tree biology, health, planting, watering, and
pruning through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on, outdoor
field experience.

Volunteers will then have opportunities to practice their
skills by helping with various tree planting and tree care projects in the
community.

The next class will be held Saturday, March 31 from 8 am to
4 pm at the Hopkins Fire Station. Learn
more and sign up.

Board actions

March 13

Project to improve safety of Highway 252 enters next phase

The board approved agreements that will move forward with the
Highway 252 project in Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center. Five of the six
intersections in this corridor are among the 100 most dangerous in the state,
with a high number and severity of crashes, according to the Minnesota
Department of Transportation (MnDOT). This project has developed concepts to
address safety concerns and convert the corridor into a freeway.

The board accepted a grant to change the county’s approach to
assisting youth ages 15 to 17 experiencing homelessness. A Minnesota Department
of Human Services grant will fund the work of two navigators who will help
minors exit homelessness through family reunification and connections to
benefits, housing and supportive services.

Funding will house and support youth currently in or aging out of county
services

The board approved $323,500 to provide stable housing and
services for youth ages 18 to 24 involved in or aging out of county services.
This initiative will build on the success of similar county programs working
with segments of the same population.

The board accepted a $50,000 grant from the Annie E. Casey
Foundation to develop a local assessment tool that considers racial disparities
while improving the accuracy of risk prediction, particularly for those most
disproportionately represented in the Hennepin County juvenile justice system.
This work is part of the county's Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, a
partnership working to create a system that produces positive outcomes for
youth, families and the community.

Grant will fight opioid abuse among people experiencing
homelessness

The board accepted $85,200 in additional federal grant funds
to provide treatment, prevention and awareness of opioid addiction within the
Health Care for the Homeless program. This program provides a variety of health
and wellness services at several clinics and shelters in Minneapolis. The
Federal Health Resources and Services Administration grant will fund a social
worker position to educate, assess and refer patients to substance abuse care
and services. This effort aligns with the county's overall response to the
opioid crisis.

The board approved an amendment to the state legislative
platform that would add support for a $5 million bonding request for
renovations of the Children's Theatre Company building.

Board declares April Child Abuse Prevention Month

The board authorized a news conference planned for April 2
at the Government Center to raise awareness about child abuse. Local social
service partner CornerHouse will host the event in recognition of Child Abuse
Prevention Month and its Blue Kids Campaign, which encourages the community to “stand
for kids.”

The board declared April 8 - 14 National Crime Victims’
Rights Week, as requested by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. The county,
along with community and state partners, strives to best serve victims of
crimes by building trust and restoring hope. In 2017, Hennepin County
prosecution crime victim advocates provided support and services to 35,049
individuals for cases moving through the criminal justice system.

Events

Northeast

Saturday, March 24
through Saturday, April 28Floral Art Exhibition.
A showcase 65 works of art by 33 artists from Minnesota, as well as nationally.
For flower enthusiasts, art collectors, and other artists. Northrup King
Building, Gallery, Suite 293, 1500 Jackson St. NE. FloralArt

Wednesday, April 18,
10:30am-2:30pmEast Side Job Fair. Twenty companies will be on hand to share employment
opportunities. Bring your resume for onsite interviews. East Side Neighborhood
Services, 1700 2nd St. NE, Suite 230. For more information, (612) 787-4035 or EastsideJobfair

North Loop

Saturday, March 31, 10amNorth Loop Candy Grab. Hunts for all ages, prizes and hot drinks. North
Loop Playground, 4th and West River Parkway. CandyGrab

Wednesday, April 11,
5-6pmCoffee with Third Ward Council Member Steve Fletcher. Ask questions and
raise issues you see in the community. Corner Coffee. 514 N. 3rd St. CoffeewithCouncilMember

Saturday, April 21Earth Day Neighborhood Clean Up. Plan your own community cleaning party
or join a group for a one hour clean up. Bags and gloves provided at Corner
Coffee, 514 N. 3rd St. (April 17 through 21). Info: www.Northloop.org

Saturday, April 21 7:45 am24th Annual Run the Valley. This 5K/10K race and 5K walk is a fundraiser
for organizations that benefit the community. Brookview Park, 316 Brookview Pkwy.
S. Registration and schedule, AnnualRunintheValley

Plymouth

Friday, April 20
through Saturday, April 21, 11am-7pmCelebrate at Primavera. Enjoy a juried art exhibit, performances in music and the literary arts.
Plymouth Creek Center, 14800 34th Ave. N. CelebrateatPrimavera

Saturday,
April 28, 9-11:30am
City Sampler at the Plymouth Maintenance Facility. Residents can get an inside look
at the state-of-the-art facility, and interact with city staff, the Mayor and Council
members and visit the new facility. 14900 23rd Ave. N. www.plymouthmn.gov

Wednesdays, April 4 through May 30,
10:30-11amFamily Story Time. For children of all ages and their
caregivers. Books, stories, rhymes and movement. St. Anthony Library, 2941
Pentagon Dr. NE. FamilyStorytime

Saturday, April 14, 10am-2pm
Friends
of the St. Anthony Library Book Sale. Bargain
hunters and book lovers come and enjoy. Proceeds benefit Friends of the
Hennepin County Library. St. Anthony Library, 2941 Pentagon Dr. NE. LibraryBooksale

Thursday, April 19, 7pmRain Barrels available in St. Anthony. St. Anthony is
offering rain barrels to residents who attend this information session. City
Hall, 3301 Silver Lake Rd. Register at Rainbarrels

Thursday,
April 26, 3-5pmLeft Behind: Young, Black, Male and Unemployed. A public
policy forum discussion about the persistent unemployment among young black men;
the history and the solutions. Minneapolis Urban League, Glover Sudduth Center,
2100 Plymouth Ave. N. LeftBehind

Multiple Communities

Thursday, March 29, 6:30-8pmHennepin History Live. A variety show featuring
short presentations, songs, and trivia from magazine writers. Tickets $5. Hennepin
History Museum, 2303 Third Ave. S. HennepinHistoryLive

Tuesday, April 3, 6:30-8pmThe New Tax Bill: Who Wins? Who
Loses? Join Congressman Ellison and others to
learn about how the new tax bill will affect you. Minneapolis Central Library,
Pohlad Hall, 300 Nicollet Mall. TheNewTaxBill

Sunday, April 8, 1- 2:30pmTales of
the Falls, a Storytelling Tour: The
Minneapolis riverfront will come alive in this unique program led by master
storyteller Richard Rousseau. Between stories, participants will walk to the
next location while learning about the Washburn A Mill, the home of Mill City
Museum. $18/MNHS. For information and tickets: TalesoftheFalls.

Tuesday, April 24, 7pmAlex Wagner, CBS News Anchor and Correspondent will
share her narrative nonfiction debut “Futureface: A Family Mystery, an Epic Quest,
and the Secret to Belonging.” The book is a journey into her ancestry
and discoveries. Free. Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall. FuturefaceBooksharing